From CGP BB - EcuadorPretty positive going forward
https://www.ecuadorminingnews.com/news.php?id=66
"Included in this process are first and foremost the new constitution, and key laws in this order also cover banking, outsourcing, taxation, mining, petroleum, agriculture, and mining laws are up for debate in January 2008. Process for draft laws has yet to be determined. Chiroboga (the minister in charge of mining) is currently drafting the new mining laws (apparently he is doing that himself and has been at it since April 2007) to be submitted to a legislative committee; then to the full assembly for debate then vote. Once passed they would then be passed onto the President (Rafael Correa) for approval. Once laws and constitution were given consent, then Ecuadorians would vote on whether to ratify them (this is supposed to be a formality). Assembly sits for 6-8mo+. Acosta (Correa's right hand person) controls the assembly and he had stated that "I would prefer to stop all large scale mining BUT AT LEAST BY STOPPING open pit mining we can protect our natural wealth.(ARU's FDN mine is UNDERGROUND). Correa later said open pit under certain circumstances could be allowed and Acosta may have been playing Latino theatrics for voters and NGOs."